Colorado is competing with several other states for a glass-manufacturing company that could create hundreds of jobs, Gov. Bill Ritter said Tuesday during a conference call from Madrid.
Ritter is in Spain to entice renewable-energy companies there to join fellow Spanish companies Abengoa Solar and Iberdola Renewables in Colorado, playing up the state’s highly educated workers and energy resources.
Abengoa Solar, with U.S. headquarters in Lakewood, intends to build a 300-megawatt solar-power facility in Arizona, which would require 1 million glass panels to be made at the up-for-grabs site, Ritter said.
The fate of the glass-manufacturing site and the Abengoa facility hinge on Congress’ decision about extending investment and production tax credits for renewable energy, set to expire at the end of the year.
The credits have already put on hold several potential investments, Ritter said. He added that he has been assured of the extensions and was set to discuss the issue later Tuesday with U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo.
“For a place like Spain, where you have significant companies making investment decisions about North America, there has to be a greater deal of certainty about those tax credits, and the sooner the better,” Ritter said.
Ritter is in Madrid through today with Don Elliman, director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade; Pam Reichert, director of the Office of International Trade; Tom Plant, Energy Office director; and Jim Lyons, co-chairman of the Jobs Cabinet.
The total cost of the trip is estimated to be about $20,000 for Ritter, Elliman, Reichert and Plant, Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer said. Lyons paid his own way.
Ritter touted Colorado’s significant wind and educated workforce as selling points to investors overseas. He said companies responded favorably despite the state’s lack of monetary incentives.
In addition to trying to connect local partners with Spanish investors, Ritter said he went to an American Chamber of Commerce lunch with 20 companies that have a presence in or are interested in doing business in Colorado.
Staff writer Tim Hoover contributed to this report.
Alex McCarthy: 303-954-1381 or amccarthy@denverpost.com
